


In Another Life

by Shade_Penn1



Series: Branches of the Tree [2]
Category: Devil May Cry, Tomb Raider (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Character Study, First Meetings, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:13:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23744359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shade_Penn1/pseuds/Shade_Penn1
Summary: (AU of Croft and Son)Lara isn't sure whether it's a nightmare or not, meeting this white-haired man on her apartment step, who looks just like the father of her son, but calls himself 'Dante'.
Series: Branches of the Tree [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1326482
Kudos: 25





	In Another Life

**Author's Note:**

> I'll be honest, I wanted to do so much more because my friend came up with this idea, but right now it's hard to write anything and I just wanted to post something. Maybe I'll be able to do more, but for now this is it.

Lara wondered if it were possible to have a nightmare while awake. Oh, she'd had plenty while asleep, of the island and the death and the killing, but blinked hard and tried to will the man in front of her away. He didn't leave; his clothes were dark and the coat was red than blue, but the hair, while short and white, was messier than before, and there was a lack of a keen glint in his blue eyes.

Since this nightmare wasn't going away by waking up, Lara took it as proof this was real. That was just as bad. This was not the sight she expected upon coming back from getting Nero a check-up. Why hadn't Sam been the one who could take the baby to the doctor? Her hand tightened on the handle of the cradle, Nero mercifully quiet. It would be harder trying to sneak by without him giving them away with another bout of wailing.

Lara pulled her hood up, ducking her head down further as she tried to make for the steps of the apartment complex.

"You know, that would have worked if I literally hadn't seen you across the street just now." 

Lara tried to ignore him, even if it seemed as though he actually sounded like a normal human being. She marched up the stairs to the front door of the complex, but heard the steps on the cement follow her. Lara narrowed her eyes and stopped. She wasn't risking him trailing her up to her apartment. So, reluctantly, Lara turned around and glared at him. "What do you want?"

The man held his hands up. "Whoa, no need to bite my head off. I just wanted to talk."

Lara's lips thinned, and she narrowed her eyes. "Talk? What could we have to talk about? Wasn't me leaving before you woke up enough of a hint?"

The man raised a brow. "Wow, okay, that explains a few things. The name's Dante." Lara didn't ease her glare, because that name meant nothing to her. "You might know (or maybe not) my twin brother, Vergil?"

Lara stared at him, eyes growing wide. "Twin?" she asked incredulously. The names still didn't mean anything, but that fact caught her off-guard.

"Yeah, looks exactly like me, except wears blue and slicks his hair back?" 

Lara processed it for a moment, before narrowing her eyes again. "Say I even believe you, why are you here? How did you even find me?"

"Okay, this probably looks bad, yeah, but hear me out: I saw a photo of you and the kid, and I know for a fact I'd remember meeting someone like you, so it kinda narrowed it down." Dante said.

The explanation didn't sound any less creepy, but Lara instantly understood what he meant. "Damn paparazzi." she growled under her breath. Showing back up in England with a newborn and no man in sight, it was like chumming the waters and the sharks had come sniffing for a free meal. 

Despite her best efforts, Lara wasn't able to keep Nero from being photographed once, and the two of them were splashed on the front page of a tabloid. Being a single mother, apparently, didn't help her credibilty with trying to talk about Yamatai to the press. Now there was another thing to hold against her, 'poor impulse control' they called it. Lara nearly broke a window throwing that wretched paper across the room.

"What? Did he tell you to find me? Look, you can tell him to-"

"He's dead." Dante cut in, voice flat. Lara stopped, and watched a brief flash of something flicker in his eyes before it disappeared. "I ain't here to make any kind of demands or nothing. I...I just wanted to see the kid. No funny business, or anything-he's pretty much the only family I have left now."

The only-Lara stopped again, because that meant thinking of her own, and the last which was taken from her on that island. "When did he die?" she asked quietly.

"A year ago."

Lara ruminated, weighing the idea in her head before she sighed heavily. "Closed the door, I don't want Nero catching anything. He's been fussy enough lately."

Dante grinned, and it was like a flip had been switched. He closed the door behind him and Lara pulled the blanket folded over the cradle aside. The man stared at Nero, eyes focused and intent, as if trying to memorize every feature, down to the chubby, rosy cheeks and small mouth and nose, to the locks of white hair. Nero was still asleep, so his blue eyes were hidden.

"Looks just like us." Dante said quietly, and finally turned his gaze back to Lara. "Thanks, and a deal's a deal. I won't bug ya, just...just knowing he exists is enough for me."

Lara wasn't quite sure what posessed her to do it, but she called out, "Wait" before she could stifle it. Dante froze as he reached for the door handle. This was new, and strange, and everything about it was not normal-but what else had been normal in anything she did lately? "If I were to...consider allowing you to see Nero, how serious would you be about it?"

Dante smirked, something playful turning at the corner of his lips. "About as serious as you for actually naming him _Nero_."

Lara sighed once more, and wondered how many more times she'd be doing it. "Alright, we'll give this a try. Meet me here tomorrow at three, and we can, I don't know, chat over a meal?" That sounded so much better in her head, but then again, it wasn't saying much. 

At least this would give her enough time to think about what a colossal mistake this could be.

-

Sam stared at her flatly, it was an expression which didn't change the more Lara told her. And once Lara was finished, Sam said, "This is the worst idea you've ever had, sweetie."

Lara sighed, because she couldn't deny it wasn't true. "I know, I've been telling myself that ever since last night." she replied, and finished cleaning up the dishes.

Sam leaned over the bassinett by the couch in the cramped apartment. "Your mommy's got a lack of foresight, yes she does!" Nero blinked through bleary blue eyes, and yawned before settling back down into a nap. Sam huffed, and stood up straight. "He totally agrees with me."

Lara smiled despite herself. Ever since she called Sam about Nero, and told her everything that happened: in Fortuna, about the events which led to the cult's downfall, and the man she slept with there. Her friend listened, and just to it all said, "Well, you're not doing this alone." Jonah couldn't be there, but he said something to a metaphorical effect when she called him.

Perhaps what threw Lara off was Dante seeking her out just to _see_ Nero. 

Lara wiped her hands on a dish towel. "Why don't you come with us then?" she asked Sam. "You can judge Dante for yourself."

"As if you could stop me." Sam said, and crossed her arms. "I'm not letting someone who could be a psycho near my cute little godson."

Lara smiled a bit wider, and after getting Nero dressed in his jumper and tucking him snugly into his cradle, she and Sam made their way out of the apartment.

-

The trip to the lobby came all too soon, and Lara found Dante leaning against the stairs outside, a bored look on his face. He caught sight of her, and his expression brightened before settling into something cocky. Lara rolled her eyes, and pushed the door open.

"Hey-who are you?" Dante's greeting was sidetracked when Sam followed Lara out.

Sam crossed her arms, giving him a once over. "I'm Sam, Nero's godmother and here to make sure you're not some skeezy low-life. For all we know, you could just be lying about having a 'twin' and you're trying to pull a fast one."

"Oh, trust me, I'd remember meeting someone like your friend here." Dante winked at Lara, who grimaced and decided to steer this back on track.

"I said I'd think about letting you be in Nero's life, but that's all you're getting." she said firmly. 

Dante held up his hands in surrender. "Duly noted, now can I see the little guy?" he leaned forward as Lara pulled the blanket on the cradle away. Nero was asleep once more, hands clenched into tiny fists and a cap on his head which hid almost all of his hair. It was a brief look, as Lara slid the blanket back over. "I thought babies cried a lot? Why is he always asleep?"

"They also sleep alot." Lara retorted. "And you're not there during the night when he's screaming his head off. And it's loud, I've gotten more noise complaints than I can count."

"It's because the walls are too thin." Sam pointed out, hefting the diaper bag over her shoulder, and sent Dante a scrutinizing gaze once more. "So where were you supposedly going to take Lara and Nero?"

"To my house." When Sam and Lara stiffened up, Dante hurried on, "It's not whatever you're thinking. It's more like my office, but I live upstairs. Or just in the office-point is, I have a legit business and it's quiet so we won't get overheard by anyone."

"And what do you have to say that needs to be so secretive?" Lara asked sternly.

Dante glanced around, before lowering his voice. "It's about my brother and me. We're not...exactly...normal." he grounded out, as if reluctant to speak about it.

Sam snorted. "Gee, with that hair, I totally thought you weren't trying to be cool."

Dante rolled his eyes, and rubbed his hand over his face. "Look, it's like-we're not- Damn this is hard to say." his shoulders heaved with a sharp breath. "Okay, I'm just gonna lay it out there then-me and my brother, we're half-human. Our father was a demon and-"

"Stop." Lara snapped, her back rigid. The memories of Yamatai and Fortuna flashed through her mind, the only reprieve from the nightmares being woken in the night by Nero. Her son, who if this man was to be believed- "Are you telling me I slept with a monster?"

Dante's expression twisted into something unreadable for a moment. "Well, that's kinda a strong word for it. He wasn't no saint, but I wouldn't go that far to call him a monster."

Lara's free hand clenched into a fist, and her heartbeat quickened. Her son, what did this mean for her son? He didn't seem anything but a normal child-he smelled, he cried, and he made her stomach flutter when he'd grab her fingers, big blue eyes staring blearily at her. Lara closed her eyes, before opening them in a hard stare. "I think meeting today was a mistake."

"Look, if you want proof I can-" 

"It's not I don't believe you," Lara said tightly, "it's that I do and I've had enough of _demons_ to last a lifetime." She caught the surprise and astonishment on Dante's face, but didn't let it stop her from turning back into the building, and Sam followed after her. Lara's jaw set, and she tried to calm herself down.

It took just as long before Sam finally asked, "Of all the things I'd thought he'd try to tell you, that wasn't on the list."

Lara breathed in and out, counting to ten in her head. "Yes, a very unpleasant surprise. I think I'd almost prefer if he was just lying and trying to scam me with this twin story."

Sam snorted, but she stifled it as she glanced at Nero. "Sorry, it's just...wow."

Lara allowed herself a brief, rueful smile, before she became meloncholic once more. "The day's not even over and I just want to lie down."

"You want me to stay the night? I don't have to do anything tonight or tomorrow."

"I couldn't ask that, you've already done so much-"

"You _deserve_ a rest, sweetie." Sam said firmly. "Besides, it's been a while since I spent any time with my godson."

Reluctantly, Lara agreed. This had already turned into one draining day.

-

It was two days later when the buzzer to her apartment sounded. Nero whined, nose wrinkling and Lara shushed him and tried to pre-emptively stop his crying. She just got him to settle down after changing and feeding him. Lara rested Nero against her shoulder, and his gums mouthed the blanket between them. "Yes?" she asked quietly, irritated as she pressed the intercom.

"It's me, Dante." 

Lara debated ignoring him, but she did have these past couple days of thinking and arguing with herself about if he came around again. She breathed out heavily. "What do you want?"

"I came to prove I'm not, like, evil or anything." Dante said. Lara rolled her eyes. "I got a witness to speak for my character."

Lara's brow furrowed. "What?"

"My friend? Kinda. Anyway, her name's Lady. She's going to tell you how awesome I am and that I can totally be trusted with being around my nephew." Dante's voice then trailed off, like he was talking to someone else, before a feminine voice spoke up, somewhat exasperated.

"He offered to take over a job for me, so this must be serious. Plus, I just want to see if it was true. This is like something out of a soap opera."

Lara tilted her head, before glancing up at the ceiling and nodded to herself. "Fine, this 'Lady' can come up. Dante, I'm still on the fence about you."

"Funny." Dante drawled, and the intercom went dead.

Lara patted Nero on the back, and once he burped and she wiped his mouth, he was tucked back into his crib. Just in time for Lara to hear the knock at the door. Well, too late to back out now. Lara peered through the peephole, and was a bit surprised to find a young woman that could just barely be called that. "Lady?" Lara asked. "I was expecting someone a bit...older." That's what the voice led her to believe anyway.

Lady shrugged, and Lara stepped aside to let her in. She also tried not to stare at the different colored eyes or the scar on her nose. "You've seen Dante, someone has to be mature. He acts younger than I am."

"And how old would that be?" Lara asked, unsure and a sinking sensation rolling in her gut.

"I'm nineteen, I think Dante's twenty." Lady replied.

Lara did the math in her head, and grimaced. ' _Well, a two year age difference isn't_ so _bad_.' she thought. Lara had still been twenty-one when she got pregnant, and gave birth after her twenty-second birthday. It was embarassing to note her assumption about Vergil's age was so off the mark; she thought he was her age, not _nineteen_ at the time.

"So this is the kid? Dante wasn't kidding, looks just like him." 

Lady's words brought Lara out of her daze, but a rush of irritation followed. "Nero is just a baby, he could lose the resemblance." The words were weak, because Lara accepted that the infant was going to be just as striking as _that man_ , and all she could hope was Nero got some of her features as he grew. 

"Though right now I'm here to convince you to give Dante a chance in seeing the kid and not gush over this baby." Lady drawled, taking a seat on the sofa. 

Lara hummed, and prepared tea while trying to ignore how Lady's eyes gaze wandered over the clippings and articles Lara had on the wall. "I suppose the way to start would be to ask how you and Dante even met?"

Lady's shoulders tightened up, before relaxing slightly. She let out a quiet, sardonic chuckle. "It all happened in a day, but this is gonna take a while to explain."

"Luckily, I have time to spare." 

-

"So, you actually showed up." Lara rolled her eyes, but Dante wasn't finished, "she must have really talked highly about me."

Rather than repeat herself, Lara shook her head as she sat down in the booth. It was some kind of ice cream bar and diner Dante wanted to meet at. Fred something, she almost missed it if she didn't spot Dante's white hair through the window. And eating a strawberry sundae-hadn't expected that. Lara pulled the blanket shielding Nero away, and he shifted, nose wrinkling before settling down.

"Can he eat solid food yet?" Dante asked.

"No, he's little more than a month old." Lara replied.

Dante whistled low, and glanced at Lara's form. "Well, you worked off the baby weight real fast."

Lara's eyes narrowed. "I work out." she said curtly. "Now I'm here out of good faith, so don't make me reget coming here."

"Still think talking about this at my place would be better, but whatever." Dante said flippantly, and took another scoop of his sundae. "Your choice and all."

Lara wondered how long it'd take before Dante wore out her already stretched patience. "Let's start with what this...this will mean for my son."

"Hell if I know." Dante retorted, but Lara narrowed her eyes and he held his hands in placation. "Kidding. Sort of. Since your kid isn't even half, can't say for sure what's gonna happen. Honestly, it'd probably be for the best if all he got was the white hair and good looks." he ran his index and thumb along his chin, glancing askance as if waiting to be photographed.

A photo was the last thing Lara wanted to be taken right now. "And what's the _worst_ case scenario?"

Dante shrugged. "One day he starts craving human blood and turning into a hell creature." Lara's jaw tightened, and he chuckled. "Okay, maybe not the blood thing. Depending on how things go, he could end changing into an entire alien thing or just...kind of alien."

Lara narrowed her eyes. Was he messing with her again? "From the fact you're currently human in appearance, I take it this is something which be controlled?"

"So...you need me around after all?" It came out like a question, but Dante still tried to put on a charming smile.

Lara wrinkled her nose. "I suppose we can work something out." she glanced at Nero, and ran a hand along his cheek. This was for him, and her knowledge about the subject of demons was sparse, let alone helping her son through it. "What do you say?"

She held out her hand, and Dante grinned as he gripped hers and they shook on it.


End file.
